Chapter XI

My Encounter with Nandbabh

by N. N. Moza

(Mr. N.N. Moza, formely Deputy director Sericulture Department J&K State and presently living at 1750-A, Sector-6, Karnal, Haryana and a staunch devotee of Swami Nand Lal Ji writes that he had a few occasions to watch this great saint of Kashmir from close quarters. A few episodes which impressed him most about the hidden powers of Nandbabh are narrated hereunder - authors)

1. According to his behaviour one could easily infer that the duty assigned to Swami Ji by the spiritual fraternity was the defence of the borders of the Valley. I saw him often hoisting a flag like rod in between the stones on the hillock of Hariparbat and saluting it like an army officer. He used to dress himself like an officer in the army having a belt round his waist and a hat on his head.

2. Immediately after the raiders were driven out of Kashmir during the winter of 1947 one day I along with some of my colleagues were returning to our homes from Silk Factory Office. On reaching near Gapatyar we saw a crowed near the gate of the temple. Pushing our way through the crowd we saw Swami Ji in a furious mood thrashing a villager who had sold charcoal and was returning home. Both Hindus and Muslims in the crowd were advising the villager to bear it patiently as he was being liberated of some curse. Swami Ji was asking why he had come back when he was once thrown out. Nobody could understand what Swami Ji meant. However, after some time Swami Ji left the spot and the crowd disapeared. In the evening when I switched on my radio for listening to the news the first item broadcast revealed that some raiders had infiltrated the border in Tehsil Handwara and were beaten back by the army clearing the entire area by the evening that day. This had a clear connection with Swami Ji's spiritual power regarding border defences.

3. In my official capacity as Deputy Director of Sericulture incharge Srinagar District in early sixties (1962-64) I along with my assistant were once touring the area of Ganderbal. When we reached the village Nunar my assistant who was a Muslim suggested that we pay obeisance to Swami Ji. I agreed and we went to his house. After paying our respects to him we started leaving when suddenly a person, said to be swami Ji's brother, requested us to sanction some dead mulbary trees/wood for the use of Swami Ji. On hearing this Swami Ji lost his temper and cried hoarse telling his brother as to why he was telling Government servants to do what was not legally correct.

4. During the same period i.e. sixtees Swami Ji paid a few surprise visits to my residence at Wazirbagh and was kind enough to write a few chits in Urdu/Persian which I hold with me. (Appendix B).

(It is is said that during his early yours Swami Ji had served as a Patwari which job he gave up in pursuit of his spiritual bliss).

As regards the interpretation of these chits in Urdu/Persian given to Shri Moza sahib, he writes that there were indirect references about finances etc. e.g. in some slips he mentions the word "Khazanchi" (Cashier). According to Mr. Moza's faith in Swami Ji he feels that he has never fallen short of money for his day to day expenditure or at the time of his chidrens' marriages etc. Similarly in one or two chits he had written Jammu and Kathua and same year he was transferred to Jammu province with district Kathua as a part of his jurisdiction.

Shri Moza has expressed his inability to interpret and remember the significance of each and every chit issued by Swanmi Ji but he feels that every chit had a meaning and significance and must have been related to his and his family members' ambitions, problems etc.